How do we do it?
Our objective is to work for sustainability and towards community capacity building for resilience to Climate Change by integrating Science & engaging Youth. In our own meager way, we wholeheartedly support the Sustainable Development Goals & are working towards practical initiatives that will result in pragmatic positive outcomes. We realized that Youth are the future and backbone of this nation, & that building resilience in communities would not be possible without youth engagement & empowerment.
We
also realized rather than reinvent the wheel & set up youth communities from
scratch we could work with preexisting setups that are not functioning
optimally:
1. As per HT Youth Survey (14th Oct. 2017): India’s youth between the age of 18-25 are not aware of climate change & environmental issues. This validates our findings that the education system is lacking in terms of educating & raising awareness from an early age.
2. As per an environmental impact survey by HT (16th June 2017): India ranked 75 out of 102 countries on the impact on the environment of every person. This is done by taking into account the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix, the energy consumption per capita, the carbon dioxide emissions per capita, waste water treatment capacity, municipal solid waste generated, air pollution & tree cover loss. This goes to show the problem is systemic as well & requires immediate attention.
3. We are also aware that as per a Supreme Court directive, as on 18th Dec. 2013, environmental education was made a mandatory subject for schools in India. However, the quality of the content, delivery & its ability to impact youth is questionable as it has not been given its due relevance.
4. In a recent Indian Express report dated 29th Oct. 2017, as per a 1999 Supreme Court directive teaching of environmental science was made mandatory. Despite the order it was only in 2014 that Delhi University implemented it. The implementation however is a halfhearted one as the report proves.
From over 40 colleges under DU only 8 had teachers with an MA in environmental science/studies or with a NET or PhD. The paper is taught as an ability enhancement compulsory course to first-year students under CBCS & is mostly handled teachers with degrees in pure Science, Geography or even Hindi & History. If this is the case with DU in the nations’ capital, other universities across India might be no better off in terms of teaching quality.
Considering all of the above which validated our earlier informal research, & taking into account our need for volunteers & desire to work with youth in schools & communities, we decided to engage with colleges & their students.
1. As per HT Youth Survey (14th Oct. 2017): India’s youth between the age of 18-25 are not aware of climate change & environmental issues. This validates our findings that the education system is lacking in terms of educating & raising awareness from an early age.
2. As per an environmental impact survey by HT (16th June 2017): India ranked 75 out of 102 countries on the impact on the environment of every person. This is done by taking into account the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix, the energy consumption per capita, the carbon dioxide emissions per capita, waste water treatment capacity, municipal solid waste generated, air pollution & tree cover loss. This goes to show the problem is systemic as well & requires immediate attention.
3. We are also aware that as per a Supreme Court directive, as on 18th Dec. 2013, environmental education was made a mandatory subject for schools in India. However, the quality of the content, delivery & its ability to impact youth is questionable as it has not been given its due relevance.
4. In a recent Indian Express report dated 29th Oct. 2017, as per a 1999 Supreme Court directive teaching of environmental science was made mandatory. Despite the order it was only in 2014 that Delhi University implemented it. The implementation however is a halfhearted one as the report proves.
From over 40 colleges under DU only 8 had teachers with an MA in environmental science/studies or with a NET or PhD. The paper is taught as an ability enhancement compulsory course to first-year students under CBCS & is mostly handled teachers with degrees in pure Science, Geography or even Hindi & History. If this is the case with DU in the nations’ capital, other universities across India might be no better off in terms of teaching quality.
Considering all of the above which validated our earlier informal research, & taking into account our need for volunteers & desire to work with youth in schools & communities, we decided to engage with colleges & their students.
Mode of engagement:
In colleges,
1. Environmental Film Screenings (Free of cost) : Documentary films sourced from multiple reputed organizations such as CMS Vatavaran, tv/e, teri, etc.
2. Engagement through discussions, debates, guest lectures, etc.
• Active engagements through NSS: internal, community & school based.
• Active engagements through Eco-club: internal, community & school based.
• Active engagements through Film-club: internal, community & school based.
• Active engagements through college Enactus teams and their projects by way of advisory service & mentor-ship to build upon existing & new projects for social good, sustainability & entrepreneurship. Currently working closely with Enactus teams IIT Delhi, Ramjas College & SRCC, Connecting and engaging with another 7 colleges.
3. Engagement through Volunteering opportunities-
• For desk based research & documentation,
• To develop thematic programs & events,
• Training workshop material development,
• Running hands-on learning workshops in schools, local communities & corporate offices,
• Conduct film screenings & facilitate discussion groups,
• Coordinate & facilitate outdoor activities and field trips,
• Contribute to not just the learning of school students but also of their peers & local communities.
In Schools,
In colleges,
1. Environmental Film Screenings (Free of cost) : Documentary films sourced from multiple reputed organizations such as CMS Vatavaran, tv/e, teri, etc.
2. Engagement through discussions, debates, guest lectures, etc.
• Active engagements through NSS: internal, community & school based.
• Active engagements through Eco-club: internal, community & school based.
• Active engagements through Film-club: internal, community & school based.
• Active engagements through college Enactus teams and their projects by way of advisory service & mentor-ship to build upon existing & new projects for social good, sustainability & entrepreneurship. Currently working closely with Enactus teams IIT Delhi, Ramjas College & SRCC, Connecting and engaging with another 7 colleges.
3. Engagement through Volunteering opportunities-
• For desk based research & documentation,
• To develop thematic programs & events,
• Training workshop material development,
• Running hands-on learning workshops in schools, local communities & corporate offices,
• Conduct film screenings & facilitate discussion groups,
• Coordinate & facilitate outdoor activities and field trips,
• Contribute to not just the learning of school students but also of their peers & local communities.
In Schools,
1. Tod Fod Sessions (Deconstructing the ‘science’) – climate change, agriculture, engineering, medicine, climate change, conservation, etc. by,
• Identifying & engaging experts & developing partner ecosystem,
• Developing programs, vehicles, translations, website & Meta trainers,
• Conducting Train the trainer sessions & school training sessions.
2. Exploring possibilities- Explaining concepts in a practical outdoor/field scenario through concrete experience & reflective observation.
3. Engaging Change- Conducting film screenings on relevant related topics & issues, moderated group discussions, guest lectures, seminars, on the issues or topics covered & potential careers in the same.
4. Letting imagination loose- Providing avenues for students to recreate learning through active experimentation & determine learning outcomes within local communities for social change.
Assessment of Science Knowledge in Schools (ASKS) - Learning & ingenuity focused events & aptitude tests– hackathons, class projects, inter school competitions, online quiz etc.
(Additional engagements will be initiated once more funds become available)
